One Of Them

Testifying before Congress

Radiation monitoring at Ground Zero

Preface

Like most people who have served their country, I don’t think of myself as heroic, or remarkable or superior in any way to my fellow Americans. Those of us who serve the greater good do so out of a sense of service, not a need to separate ourselves. Nevertheless, service to one’s country brings feelings of pride as well as camaraderie with one’s co-workers. We think of ourselves as the good guys, those who protect the country we love, not only for ourselves and our families and friends, but for everyone. That dedication and the ordeals many of us go through bond us for life. It creates a brotherhood that’s exclusive of the rest of the world. And then we find ourselves needing help, or raising concerns, or overtly criticizing bad decisions - not because we’re opposed to the system, but because we care about the system - at times valuing loyalty and duty over our own well-being. And suddenly we find ourselves ousted from the brotherhood; ignored, dismissed and denigrated by the people we had dedicated our lives to serving.It’s as though our service to country had been eliminated from our permanent record. We go from being One of Us, the good guys, to being One of Them, the critics, the malingerers, the troublemakers. Even though our belief in the system has not wavered, the system has opted to reject us because we no longer conform, even though conforming may now be beyond our capability. I always thought of myself as One of Us and served my country with pride and distinction. I’m now One of Them, cast aside because the problems I wanted addressed, according to some people in the government, don’t exist. They have opted to kill the messenger in my case. Yet, I’m in good company, I suppose, because the ranks of Them has been steadily growing in recent years, and it includes some very important people. But there’s sadness, too, that after a lifetime of selfless service I was discarded at the first sign of trouble, trouble beyond my ability to control. I did not want to be this guy; I would have continued on in the service of my country indefinitely, given the opportunity. But that ship has sailed. I know I’ll never be One of Us again. This is my story.

One man’s true story of dedicated loyalty to his country and the neglect by his government